I wonder how we will remember 2020.
For some people, memories of the COVID-19 crisis will be dominated by the heartache caused by loss of lives. Others will find their memories centred on fear and anxiety, as rapid change impacted their jobs and daily lives. Many people will no doubt retell stories of empty supermarket shelves and closed schools and businesses.
I am hoping that at least some people will also remember 2020 as a time of rediscovery.
While I don’t seek to diminish the turmoil and loss being felt by many during the pandemic, I have rediscovered much joy over the past few months.
“I am hoping that at least some people will also remember 2020 as a time of rediscovery.”
My experience of ‘real’ social isolation began at the end of first term. I was tired before the Easter break began and soon discovered that spending time cooped inside with teenage children was not the best remedy for fatigue. But as the days went on, we reconnected as a family and enjoyed time just ‘being.’ I rode my bike, planned a new landscaping project and played with our new kitten. I even joined my church service remotely while in my pyjamas (making sure the camera was off!).
As a person who normally thrives on the busyness of people, organising and planning, I found surprising pleasure in solitude. It took a global health crisis to discover the joy of a slower, more reflective life.
This week, as we commenced a new term I asked my colleagues to indicate an unexpected joy that they had discovered in isolation. Their responses came quickly. For one person, it was building a treehouse. Another had learnt to crochet. Several were surprised by the increased connection with friends and family via technology. Others relished the opportunity to spend quality time with their children. Many loved just being still.
These surprising joys would most likely have remained undiscovered without a crisis.
In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon reminds us that there is a time for everything under the sun. There is “a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak”.
We have been assured by our political leaders that the time for social distancing will pass and there will be a time for ‘normal life’ again, whatever that may look like.
But I hope to remember 2020 as a time for silence, stillness and unexpected joy in the midst of a crisis.
Bonny Moroni – Head of Secondary